Koh Phangan Shopping Travel Guide

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On Koh Phangan Island, there are plenty of opportunities to collect souvenirs of your memorable tip. Everywhere you go, Koh Phangan will dangle temptations in front of you in an effort to separate you from your tourist Euros. [more]

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There are fake watches, antiques, sportswear-anything you want, Koh Phangan has it for sale. While some of these "opportunities" will end up in the back of your closet the moment you get home, others will be enduring reminders of your fabulous trip. Koh Phangan does have some wonderful deals.

A word to the wise: Bargain hard for market stall purchases. It's expected. The first price you are offered is intentionally high. Stay friendly, but walk away if the price is too high. Someone else will sell whatever it is for a better price. This rule changes when you enter an enclosed shop. Their prices are fixed and bargaining won't work.

Thai Silk

If you only take home one souvenir, let it be some of Thailand's famous silk. Koh Phangan shops offer a wide variety of different colours, designs and quality. The silk will be much cheaper than in the West, but don't be tempted by incredible bargains. Look for the Silk Federation logo on the silk item-there is no sense paying for silk if you're buying a cotton look-alike, and that logo is your reassurance that you are buying the real thing.

Antiques and Furniture

This is the land of beautiful reproductions. They are objects of beauty that should be enjoyed-but don't pay "genuine" prices for them. If you want a genuine antique, make sure you know how to tell the difference between real and reproduction. If you don't mind buying a beautiful reproduction, the only question you will have to answer is, how are you going to get it all home?

Jewelry

If we were to pick one luxury item to buy in Thailand, jewels would be it. The world sends its gemstones to Bangkok to get them cut and set. This translates into the lowest prices for gems and jewelry that you will find anywhere else. A word of warning: The Tourism Authority of Thailand fields over 1,000 complaints about jewelry scams every year. Don't trust anyone who seeks you out to sell jewelry to you. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Scams prey upon people who let greed overcome their natural common sense.

Stick to established shops. If a situation feels wrong, listen to your instincts and find another shop. You will find a better deal and be happier with your purchase if you do.

Pearls

The Japanese started pearl production in Thailand in the 80's, and since then the Thai have harvested pearls that set the international standard for artificial, natural, and tear-drop shaped pearls. The pearls may not be inexpensive, but they are among the best you will find anywhere.

Discs

Let's be realistic here. The discs you will find on the open market stalls are all pirated versions, so if this bothers you, don't look. For those that don't have a problem with this, you can find good-quality CDs. The DVD's are a bit more hit and miss. Sometimes the soundtrack is so bad you can't watch the DVD. Ask the store or stall to play it for you before you buy it. In general, the older films enjoy a higher quality. Software and video games, in our opinion, aren't worth the risk. The quality is too low. Expect to pay from 100-200 baht per disc.